Shoppers have been camping outside major retail stores to be first in line for Black Friday deals this week.

Tech-savvy shoppers have been waiting outside Best Buy stores since last Monday, hoping that the ten day headstart will score them deals on flat-screen TVs and computers.

Target stores announced they will be opening their stores at 9 p.m., three hours earlier than last year.

"We thought long and hard about when the right opening time would be," said Kathee Tesija, Target's executive vice president of merchandising.

Shoppers who show up for the 9 p.m. opening will be able to pick up Nikon digital cameras for $99.99 and 32-inch LCD TVs for $147. On Friday morning, customers who spend over $50 will receive a $10 gift card.

Walmart will also be opening their stores shortly after customers finish up their Thanksgiving feasts. This year, the stores will open at 8 p.m. instead of 10 p.m.

Walmart shoppers who line up between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day will receive a $74 Wal-Mart gift card if they purchase an Apple iPad2 for $399. Emerson 32-inch LCD TVs will be available for $148 and LG Blu-ray Disc players will be marked down to $38. If the retailers run out of inventory, shoppers who have lined up since 10 p.m. will receive a guarantee card, which ensures that the product of their choice will be ready for pick-up on Christmas Day.

"We know it's frustrating for customers to shop on Black Friday and not get the items they want," said Wal-Mart U.S. chief merchandising and marketing officer Duncan MacNaughton.

MacNaughton also said the retailer will offer a larger assortment of products than they have in previous years, such as double the amount of tablets compared to last year.

Lord & Taylor, which usually closes its stores for the Thanksgiving holiday, has decided to open their doors from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Kohl's and Macy's will begin their sales at midnight on Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

COMMENTS

Anonymous (not verified) on November 19, 2012 | 2:21 p.m.

Since last Monday???? People are idiots no wonder the US and the rest of the world is in such poor financial shape. I stay home on black friday and rake the leaves. I have maybe shopped on black friday twice in the past two decades. Sheesh... People are downright disgusting dripping with such crass materialism.